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Where We Left Off:
Last week, we reported on Oliver’s plan to catch and relocate a mouse in The Banana Crime Family.
Mother Knows Best:
The Winchester-Nabu Detective Agency prefers to end 2025 on a pleasant note. Many of our investigations don’t have happy endings. Some are tragic.
All of us like it when the winter can provide snow with sunshine that warms it up. Flannel weather (or as Gus prefers, no sweater at all). We’ve been trapped inside due to low temperatures and/or the destructive wind. When there’s any chance of getting outside, we take it.
In December, Gus, Ollie, and the humans on staff fed the local critters when possible. They are wild creatures and still need to be able to fend for themselves which is why we don’t make it an every day routine. With all the cameras around, we’ve been able to monitor which creatures are coming and going. Predators hunt here, but I think I’ve only seen the stray cats with prey in their jaws. That might be more for fun, but most of them seem to be getting food from somewhere else.
A Squirrel Investigation:
In the winter, some of the species mate allowing them the cold months to gestate. I never realized Eastern Grey Squirrels were like this (more likely, I knew but forgot). I know they have babies in the spring, but never thought about them mating in November or December. It turns out they have two mating seasons. Typically, one is December to January and the other is May to July. The greys have a 44-day gestation period. It’s up to the mother to keep them fed and warm for two months before they begin exploring away from the nest.
The boys and I were able to take several trips to the Big Rock and junkyard to distribute snacks. Oliver did the most observation time and talking to critters, as usual. Gus inspected all around for scents of intruders and looking for any evidence of crimes. Ollie overhead a conversation between two squirrels, Silver St. Cloud and Dr. Silverstone.
“Excuse me?” Ollie pawed at his screened windshield of his buggy. “Is everything all right?”
“It’s fine,” Dr. Silverstone assured him.
“It’s not fine,” Silver St. Cloud corrected. “He’s refusing to believe me that I’m pregnant with his children. I don’t need him anyway.”
Oliver is not a therapist to other animals. He reserves those services specifically for his favorite human, The Cook.
He said, “Silver, if you don’t mind me saying, you’re exceptionally independent.”
“That’s right! I am!” She looked right at Oliver while she grasped a peanut between her hands. “I don’t need Silverstone. I just wanted to be acknowledged. Is that too much to ask?”
Dr. Silverstone turned around in a bit of embarrassment. When he was ready to face everyone again, he spun back around.
“Silver, my darling, you’re the most wonderful mate I’ve ever had. I love the way things are. I love that you don’t need me constantly, because you’re truthfully more capable at surviving than I could ever be.” Silverstone’s words and chirps sounded sincere. He left the largest peanuts for her. She carried them away to her nest somewhere in the nearby trees.
Gus climbed down from the stacks of cinder blocks after his thorough inspection. He warned me that their structural integrity is not up to par. Some of the stacks are leaning because the pallet foundations are breaking down. That’s a problem for the end of winter and whenever we can hire someone to move hundred-pound blocks.
Case Findings:
Silver St. Cloud is pregnant! We’re thrilled and wish her the best of luck getting through the winter. Silverstone seems to be sticking around without interfering. That seems to be working for them.
Case Status: Closed
In Other News:
Oliver Winchester has been learning a new skill. He had always been excellent at baseball and fútbol, but the only real playtime he gets is wrestling with Gus. That often turns ugly. Since Ollie refuses to learn how to spin the test tubes on the game Gus mastered years ago, I started throwing him treats to keep him a safe distance from Gus and his game.
Ollie is great at balancing. His begging routine requires him to sit up on his butt and wave his hands while yelling. I noticed that he began to use his balancing skills when I threw the treats a certain way. An underhand pitch works best. Ollie was able to catch the treats right in his mouth! My pitching skills are unpredictable so he isn’t able to catch them every time, but he’s doing exceptionally well with this new skill.
Gus has noticed. He no longer believes he should have to spin the test tubes in order to earn treats. If Ollie can have treats thrown to him and easily chomp them off the floor, then that’s what Gus wants too. Only when I am in bed and not willing to go to his game do I give the free-throw option. It’s best if Gus still earns his treats.
Both of them were doing pretty well with their weight. Oliver has an appointment in January and I would hate to see that his new sport is unhealthy for him. That would suck.